For Release: October 2018 Development of therapies for human disease remains dependent on well-characterized and validated model systems.  Slow growing histologically benign tumors such as neurofibromas are challenging to grow in typical culture conditions.  As a result, the scientific field has been without reproducible, well-characterized cell culture model systems for neurofibromas. Neurofibromas are tumors of […]Read More

For Release: October 2018 Neurofibromas are tumors of the nerve that are found most commonly in people with neurofibromatosis type I (NF1). NF1 is a neurogenetic disease with an estimated prevalence of 1/2500-1/3000.  A type of neurofibroma called a plexiform neurofibroma affects up to 50% of people with NF1.  These tumors can cause weakness, sensory […]Read More

For Release: October 2018 Development of therapies for human disease remains dependent on well-characterized and validated model systems for pre-clinical therapeutic testing. Most in vitro drug testing is performed on cells growing in two dimensions (2-D) on plastic dishes. In comparison to 2-D cultures, cells growing in a 3-dimensional (3-D) matrix may more accurately model […]Read More

Author: Cathy Gara. July 2018–The Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP) at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is proud to announce that Dr. Shruti Garg, of the University of Manchester, and Dr. Ina Ly, of Massachusetts General Hospital, have been selected as the 2018 recipients of the Francis S. Collins Scholars Award in Neurofibromatosis […]Read More

The FY18 Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) is accepting applications for research projects. Applications to the Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) Neurofibromatosis Research Program (NFRP) are being solicited for the Defense Health Agency (DHA) J9, Research and Development Directorate, by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity (USAMRAA) using delegated authority provided by United States Code, Title 10, […]Read More

July 10, 2018: One of the hallmarks of the complex syndrome Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are cutaneous neurofibromas (cNF).  cNF are tumors involving the skin that affect up to 99 percent of adults with NF1.  They are a major source of emotional and social distress, as well as intermittent, but chronic, physical symptoms, such as […]Read More

New Research Tools Available in the Search for Therapies for Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Plexiform Neurofibromas By Cathy Gara | For Release: June 15, 2018 Plexiform neurofibromas affect up to 50 percent of people with neurofibromatosis type I (NF1), a rare disease of the nervous system for which there are no approved drug therapies.  NF1 has […]Read More

The Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program (NTAP) at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine is proud to announce that Dr. Angela Hirbe (Washington University) and Dr. Ping Chi (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) have been selected as the 2017 recipients of the Francis S. Collins Scholars Award in Neurofibromatosis Clinical and Translational Research.  The Francis S. […]Read More

Bethesda, MD (December 28, 2016) NCI Press Release: In an early-phase clinical trial of a new oral drug, selumetinib, children with the common genetic disorder neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and plexiform neurofibromas, tumors of the peripheral nerves, tolerated selumetinib and, in most cases, responded to it with tumor shrinkage. NF1 affects 1 in 3,000 people. […]Read More

Baltimore, MD (January 3, 2017)  Ashley Cannon, Ph.D., M.S., has been named the 2016 winner of the Francis S. Collins Scholars Program in Neurofibromatosis Clinical and Translational Research, sponsored by the Neurofibromatosis Therapeutic Acceleration Program at The Johns Hopkins University. The program works to create a community of expert clinician-scientists and grooms them to be […]Read More